📖

Ellis Island: Gateway to America

Coming to America: Immigration

Day 103of 180
Week 21of 36
25Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Learn about Ellis Island's role in immigration

2

Understand how immigrants entered the United States

3

Develop empathy for immigrant experiences

📖 Scripture Connection

Leviticus 19:34

“The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your God.”

— Leviticus 19:34 (WEB)

God calls us to welcome and love strangers, just as immigrants were welcomed to America

📦 Materials Needed

  • World map
  • Ellis Island pictures
  • Construction paper
  • Markers
  • Scissors
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Show a world map and ask students to point to where their family originally came from. Explain that almost everyone in America came from somewhere else long ago.

💭 Review Question: Can you name a country where some of your family might have come from?
2Teaching (10 min)

Ellis Island was a special place in New York where millions of immigrants first arrived in America. Between 1892 and 1954, people from many different countries came through Ellis Island, hoping to start a new life in America.

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Immigrants traveled on big ships across the ocean
  • They were checked by doctors to make sure they were healthy
  • They answered questions about where they were going and why
  • Many were excited but also scared about their new home
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • How do you think immigrants felt when they first saw America?
  • What would be hard about leaving your home country?
  • How can we be kind to people who are new to our country?
3Activity: Ellis Island Welcome Banner (7 min)
hands-on craft

Create a welcome banner for immigrant families, showing God's love

📝 Instructions:
  1. Take construction paper
  2. Draw pictures of people from different countries
  3. Write welcoming words like 'Welcome' and 'God Loves You'
  4. Decorate with colorful drawings
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Provide pre-drawn templates to color

Challenge: Include actual immigrant story details on banner

4Closing (3 min)

Remind students that God loves all people, no matter where they come from

📝 Review Questions:
  • What was Ellis Island?
  • Why did people come to America?
  • How can we show love to new people in our community?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for bringing people from all over the world together. Help us love and welcome everyone, just as you love us.

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll learn about the special traditions immigrants brought to America

💎 Memory Verse

Leviticus 19:34

“The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself.”

— Leviticus 19:34 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Create a hand motion for each key word while reciting

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Ellis Island processed over 12 million immigrants between 1892-1954

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Use gentle, age-appropriate language about immigration
  • Emphasize hope and opportunity in immigrant stories
  • Validate children's curiosity about family history
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might feel confused about why people leave their homes

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Empathy and curiosity about different cultures

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Interview a grandparent about family immigration story
  • Research a specific immigrant group's journey
  • Create a family tree showing different countries of origin

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 104 →Back to History & Social Studies